


Sunrise and Sunset

by floweringlight



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Other, Spoilers for Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Spoilers for Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 03:24:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20900864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/floweringlight/pseuds/floweringlight
Summary: Ferdinand and Byleth support each other and he grows to be more than just an advisor to her. Does he feel the same about her?





	1. Tears

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this because I didn't see many Ferdinand/Byleth ships and I felt he was being left out. I had Byleth choose the Blue Lions because I knew that if she had chosen Golden Deer this would end up being another fic about Byleth and Claude (while I am not opposed to that, this is supposed to be about a different ship). Please enjoy our stupid cinnamon rolls. Chapter one is short, sorry.

Chapter One: Tears

You both cried the night Edelgarde revealed herself as the Flame Emperor. 

Byleth cried from a broken heart. “I failed her,” she sobbed. “If I had been more available for her to confide in perhaps I could have guided her to a different path.” Silence greeted her cries. Sothis was gone. Byleth had no desire to fight her former student, despite the church’s stance. Byleth wiped her eyes and pulled herself together as best she could. The others needed her to be strong. She would be there to comfort them. 

Numb from crying, Byleth wandered around the campus consoling all the students she came across. When she stumbled upon Ferdinand in the moonlit garden, she laid a hand on his shoulder. “How are you holding up?” Ferdinand glanced at her and turned away, ashamed to be seen so low. “You don’t need to hide from me, Ferdinand. I won’t tell anyone.” 

Ferdinand slowly faced Byleth and buried his face in her shoulder awkwardly. Byleth felt her shoulder grow damp as he quietly cried. “I thought she was my friend. Who is going to advise her now?” Byleth heard the raw betrayal in his voice and gently patted his back. She never knew the appropriate response to others’ feelings, having unexpressed hers for so long. Ferdinand wrapped his arms around her, clinging to her desperately. 

Byleth’s numbness broke under his vulnerability and she shed more tears. We’ll get through this together, all of us.” Her voice cracked with emotion. 

Ferdinand looked up at her, surprised. “Professor?” Straightening up, he pulled out a handkerchief from his sleeve and dabbed at her cheeks. It smelled lightly of lavender. “No one has inquired after your feelings, have they?” 

Byleth sniffled, embarrassed. “My feelings aren’t important.” 

Indignant, Ferdinand grabbed her shoulders and replied, “Nonsense! You need someone to rely on as much as we rely on you! And I, Ferdinand von Aegir, will be your stalwart friend.” 

Byleth gave him a soft smile and thanked him. “I could use a friend and an advisor.” 

Ferdinand beamed and bowed gallantly. I will gladly take on that role, Professor.” 

“It’s just Byleth now, Ferdinand. I stopped being your professor the instant Edelgarde declared war.” 

Again he bowed. “Very well, Pro—Byleth.” In the darkness she missed the slight flushing of his neck when he said her name. Byleth bid him good night and returned to her room. She would need her rest for the war to come. 

* 

And the war descended upon the monastery quickly. Byleth rallied her students; all the Blue Lions, the Black Eagles and Golden Deer she managed to recruit, and Claude. She worried about the quickly deteriorating mental health of Dimitri but had little time to tend to him. Dedue’s quiet authority was invaluable at this time as she worked to strategize for their strengths and weaknesses. Ferdinand lived up to his promise and aided her however she needed him to. Mostly this consisted of him persuading, er, bribing Lorenz and Hilda to actually cooperate with Byleth’s orders. Needless to say, Byleth owed Ferdinand a new chest of tea. 

In the middle of final preparations, the Empire invaded. Once the fighting began, Byleth fought for survival. She could not focus on her students’ welfare, trusting them to remember their training and the battle plan. She reached Edelgarde, hoping to end the battle quickly, but to her dismay the Empire’s reinforcements arrived. Byleth saw Rhea change into a gigantic white dragon, entering the fray. She ran to help the archbishop and was blindsided by a stealth attack. Byleth fell. Her body was never recovered. 


	2. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being away, Byleth is caught up to current events and is not happy at the state of things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The gang's all here! Except, y'know, Claude (because reasons) and Dedue (also reasons). Byleth is a sleepyhead and Ferdinand's hair is distracting.

Chapter Two: Reunion

Five years later, Ferdinand rode down an unused back road, hoping to avoid Empire scouts. It was nearly the anniversary of the promise  Byleth’s students had made and he was going to be there even if everyone else forgot. He owed her that much. To his surprise, smoke drifted from the monastery ruins. Quietly he dismounted and stealthily crept through the underbrush to assess the situation. A steel blade snaked to the back of his throat. “Freeze if you want to live,” he heard a female voice say. 

Ferdinand lifted his hands to demonstrate he was not a threat and asked calmly, “May I turn around to face my captor? I would hate to die with a sword in my back, you see.”

“Ferdinand? Is that you?”

When he looked at the sword wielder, his eyes widened in surprise. “Leonie? What are you doing here?”

“I could ask the same of you.”

“I came to fulfill the promise. Ferdinand von Aegir always keeps his oaths. Admittedly, I am a few days early, but I desired to ensure the ruins were safe.”

Leonie lowered her blade and replied, “Then we are here for the same purpose. And if you thought you were being stealthy, you were mistaken. Anyone with decent hearing could hear your armor clanking from a mile away.”

He blushed, his ear tips turning red. “Of course. I have been travelling alone for so long I have grown accustomed to my own sounds.” 

He heard footsteps crashing in the brush and a boisterous voice booming. “Oh ho! Another friend!”

“Hello Raphael. How do you fare?”

“Aw, you know me. Still  fightin ’ and eatin’.”

A softer voice added, “At least your clothes fit better now.”

“Marianne? How many of you are there?”

Leonie laughed. “As far as I know we three are the only ones here, but there’s a lot of land to cover. More of us could be in the surrounding areas and we would never notice.”

“I see.” Ferdinand decided to loosen the saddle on his horse to provide him better comfort and sat down. “What have you discovered in your  reconnaissance ?”

Raphael answered him. “Someone’s in there. We heard a lot of  screamin ’ last night. Whoever it is, the Empire soldiers that were camped down there are dead now.”

Marianne shivered. “I hope they’re a friend. It was frightening. I couldn’t sleep well.” Leonie  rubbed her shoulder reassuringly .

“Anyway, want to set up  camp with us? We’re not too far from the road.”

Ferdinand nodded his assent and followed. “Do you think it’s  Byleth in the monastery?” he asked, daring himself to hope. 

“No,” said Marianne.

“I see,” he replied, trying to hide the disappointment he felt. 

That night he slept restlessly, feeling haunted by the ghosts of the fallen. “Please, Goddess, if you’re listening, please bring her back,” he prayed. Ferdinand rolled over and fitfully drifted off to sleep.

*

Byleth groaned and clutched her head. “The battle...what happened?” she croaked. 

“Are you okay, miss?”

Byleth stood up, brushing herself off. “Where am I?”

“You’re outside the ruins of  Garreg Mach Monastery. There isn’t much here since the church fell five years ago but we have some food if you’re hungry.”

“What?” Byleth whispered.

“We have some food if you’re hungry,” he repeated.

“No, the other thing. What’s the date?”

“Tomorrow would have been the  millenium festival, if the Empire hadn’t attacked.”

“That long? I must go.”

“Go where?”

“To the monastery. My students are waiting.”  Byleth smiled at the stranger, adding, “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” Determined, she walked towards the ruins. She had a promise to keep.

*

Streaks of pink colored the sky as the sun struggled to rise. Shouts woke Ferdinand and the others. They scrambled to ready themselves and answer the cry. “It came from the monastery,” Marianne said. Ferdinand hastily re-saddled his horse and mounted, nudging the animal into action. The others followed behind him, slower and more cautious. Ferdinand readied his lance and charged through the gates. Unprepared for what he saw, he nearly dropped his weapon, a rookie’s mistake. There, standing on the front steps of the monastery, were two people he had not expected to see.  Byleth , supporting a barely functional Dimitri, limped down the stairs. 

Ferdinand leaped off his horse and ran up to Byleth. “Is it really you?” he whispered hoarsely. 

“I’m back,” she said. “Sorry I was away. Believe me, it was not by choice.”

Ferdinand choked back a sob and blinked back tears. “The others are coming,” he said.

Byleth grunted and shifted under Dimitri’s weight. “Can you?”

“Oh, of course!” Ferdinand slipped his shoulder under Dimitri’s arms and took him from Byleth.

“Thanks. He passed out right after we finished defeating the remaining enemy soldiers. The rest of the Lions are inside trying to clean out some rooms so we can lay him down. He needs serious healing.”

“What about Mercedes?”

“She spent her reserves just stabilizing him. She’s resting in the dining hall.”  Byleth looked up, hearing the clatter of hoofbeats on the cobblestones.

Leonie, with Marianne ridding pillion, pulled her horse to a halt. Raphael followed behind them, panting from running hard. Marianne leaped off behind Leonie and rushed to Dimitri’s side, checking him with her healing glow. “Can we take him to his room?” she asked. “I can finish Mercedes’s healing if he’s lying down and stable.”

“Let me help,” said Raphael, lifting Dimitri’s legs off the ground. Ferdinand rearranged Dimitri’s torso so his weight was evenly distributed between the two. 

“I’ll stable the horses, Leonie said.  Byleth acknowledged her with a wave of thanks. 

“Meet us in the dining hall when you’re done. Ashe is in there cooking.”

Together Raphael and Ferdinand carried Dimitri to the old dormitory with  Byleth and Marianne trailing behind. Carrying the heavy unconscious man up the dormitory stairs proved exhausting. A few times his head knocked against the walls when Ferdinand misjudged a turn in the hall. Once in Dimitri’s room, Marianne directed Raphael and Ferdinand to lay him gently on the dusty bed. 

“We can clean that later,” she muttered. “ Byleth , can you fetch some clean cloths and warm water so we can clean his wounds? And scissors to cut the mats out of his hair. We’ll give him a proper cleaning after the worst of him is tended to.”  Byleth left to do as she asked. “He’ll need some clean clothes,” Marianne said hesitatingly, turning to the men, assessing them. “But he’s not quite your size Ferdinand. And your clothes will be rather large on him, Raphael.”

“Better to be too large than too small, right?” Raphael chuckled. “I have  a spare shirt and trousers we can put on him until we find something more fittin’.”

“Marianne, surely you don’t intend to bathe and dress him?” Ferdinand asked, mildly scandalized.

She blushed. “Of-of course not,” she stammered. “He can bathe and dress himself tomorrow after he’s rested. But he needs to be out of these filthy clothes. I don’t want any infection or infestation to take hold after he’s treated.”

Byleth entered with the requested tools and Raphael left to fetch his extra clothes. Ferdinand sponged the grit out of Dimitri’s wounds as Marianne healed him.

Byleth took it upon herself to cut his hair. “It won’t look good,” she informed them. 

“It doesn’t have to,” said Marianne. “As long as it’s free from blood and tangles. I need to wash his hair to make sure he doesn’t have any parasites and I can’t do that if it’s too tangled to comb.”

Ferdinand and  Byleth worked in silence, obeying Marianne’s instructions. Ferdinand made the two women leave the room to preserve Dimitri’s modesty when he removed the bloody, torn clothes off his body. He covered the prince with a blanket and threw the filthy clothes into the fire. The fur robe he took to the laundry, because he could see it held some significance. When he returned, he found Marianne and  Byleth finishing up the last of the cleaning. He noticed Marianne determinedly not looking at Dimitri’s naked chest, a slight blush on her cheeks.

“There,” Marianne said triumphantly. “All done.” She washed her hands and directed the other two to follow suit. “I cast a sleeping spell on him so he stays asleep until the healing finishes taking hold. He should stay under for at least eight hours.” Raphael entered with the clothes and placed them by the bed. “Thank you, Raphael.”

He turned to Marianne with a frown. “You overdid it, didn’t you?”

“No, I,” she protested, her knees buckling under her. 

He caught her and lifted her up. “You healers are all the same,” he chastised. “You never remember to take care of yourself.” He looked at  Byleth and Ferdinand. “You two don’t look much better. Head on over to the dining hall. I’ll carry Marianne.”

“Raphael,” she objected, “I can walk.”

“You can’t either. Now come on,” Raphael gathered her in his arms and left. The other two followed.

They smelled the food before they saw it. “Ashe is a marvel,”  Byleth groaned. Her stomach rumbled. Ferdinand’s mouth watered. Ingrid and Sylvain walked over, handing them bowls of stew and guided the four of them to the others. Everyone was there. Everyone, that is, except  Edelgarde , Hubert,  Dedue , and Claude.

“Where’s Claude?” asked Byleth.

Hilda flipped her hair. “Oh, y’know, scheming to keep the Alliance together.”

“And  Dedue ?” Mercedes inquired quietly.

Byleth’s face fell. “Dimitri said he sacrificed himself so Dimitri could escape.”

“Oh,” Mercedes faltered. The mood in the room turned dark as everyone remembered those who were lost. 

Byleth surveyed the room, drinking in the sight of her former students. “You’ve all grown so much since I was gone,” she said, tears running down her face.

“Except Felix,” cracked Sylvain. Ingrid elbowed him and Felix flipped him off.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me.” Wordlessly, Ferdinand offered her his handkerchief. She accepted it, drying her face. She noticed it smelled differently, of horse and potentially cinnamon. Byleth idly wondered if that’s what Ferdinand smelled like.

Byleth walked around the room, giving each person a comforting touch, murmuring observations to each of them. When she returned to Ferdinand’s side, she gave him his handkerchief back and gently reached her hand to his hair, running s everal s trand s between her forefinger and thumb. “You grew your hair out.”

Embarrassed, Ferdinand rubbed the back of his neck. “There wasn’t time to find someone to cut it.”

“It looks good, though.”

He blushed and looked at the floor. “You shouldn’t say such things with a straight face.”

“I mean it.” Ferdinand looked up, meeting her eyes. Silence stretched between them as they stared at each other.  Byleth felt a warmth spread all over as Ferdinand gazed at her.

“ So where were you?” asked  Bernadetta , interrupting the moment. 

Byleth turned around, chuckling humorlessly. “Would you believe I was asleep?”

Caspar guffawed. “Good one,  Byleth !” He stopped laughing when he realized she meant it. “Seriously?”

“As best I can figure, yes.”  Byleth inhaled deeply and waited until she had all their attention. “Now that we’re all together it’s time we started pushing back against the Empire. And I will need all of you to help us win.”


	3. Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth is overwhelmed and Ferdinand steps in to help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I picked Seiros tea for Byleth because she seems like the person who would prefer an unassuming black tea, not because of the name. Personally, I prefer an Irish Breakfast tea, so Seiros probably a Fodlan equivalent.

Chapter Three: Tea

Weeks passed by in a blur, and  Byleth struggled to stay ahead of everything piling on top of her.  Seteth kept giving her additional duties, saying, “As archbishop you’ll need to know this.” Never he  mind that she was only the interim archbishop until Rhea was found. Never he  mind that she had no knowledge of the church until five years ago. Never he  mind that she had other plans for her future. She took her frustrations to the training yard, beating her anger into the dummies. Felix approved of her newfound dedication, not knowing the reason behind her frequent visits.  Byleth floundered under all her responsibilities, and no one except Ferdinand noticed her drowning.  Everyone else was too busy trying to keep Dimitri from recklessly killing himself on the battlefield. 

He came to her one morning with an offer. “Do you remember I once said I would help you as an advisor?”

“Yes?”

“Would you still accept my help?”

“Of course,”  Byleth replied, confused at what he was trying to convey.

“Good. Let us go to your office. We are going to sort paperwork and I will take the unimportant tasks and deal with it myself. You are going to delegate your duties. I have noticed you have been far too tired lately to pay attention in our strategy meetings. You let Caspar make an absurd suggestion yesterday. It will not happen again. Our lives are far too valuable for Caspar to decide our battle positions.”

Byleth surprised herself by letting loose a small chuckle. “I gladly accept your offer of help. Truthfully, paperwork has never been my strong point.”

“As someone who was once on the receiving end of your grading, I can attest to that fact.” She laughed loudly, startling him. “Was it that amusing?”

“I found it funny,” she shrugged. 

When they reached her office Ferdinand almost shrieked at the untidy, overburdened desk. “This,” he said, “this will not do!” He grabbed one pile of papers and shoved them at her, saying, “Organize this by importance and if there are any financial papers put them in a separate pile. Those we will take to Leonie and Ignatz, who are gifted in these matters. I am going to deal with this travesty,” he gestured to her desk, “so we can actually do work here.” He pulled off his gloves and laid them down so they would not be stained by the ink. 

Byleth nodded and focused on her immediate task. 

It was dusk before either of them finished. “So late already?” Ferdinand asked.

Ruefully,  Byleth surveyed her desk. While Ferdinand had managed to put a huge dent in the disarray, it was still woefully disorganized. “Come back tomorrow?” she pleaded. 

“It would be my pleasure,” he replied, bowing. “May I walk you to the dining hall? There may be a few stale crusts left after Raphael has eaten.”

“I’d rather just eat something in my room. I’m spent. For some reason, paperwork always takes it out of me in a way that fighting never does.”

“I shall bring us something to your room then. I believe I have some tea cakes still in my room if you’d like to have a very late tea with me.”

“That sounds nice. I’d like that,” she replied, smiling. 

He noticed a smudge of ink on her nose. “You have, um,” he indicated on his face. She looked quizzically at him. “May I?” Ferdinand pulled out his handkerchief and brought it up to her face. She nodded, staying still as he cleaned the ink off. The pinks of the sunset hid her faint blushing cheeks. The unconscious intimacy of his tender care caused her stomach to flutter. “There,” he said, awkwardly clearing his throat. “All clean.”

“I’ll, um, meet you in my quarters. Bring whatever tea you think best to go with those cakes, okay? You’re the expert,”  Byleth said, feeling something unbidden trying to make itself known.

He bowed and left quickly.  Byleth pressed her hands to her cheeks. “What was that?” she wondered.  Sothis may have known, but she was not there to sarcastically tell her. She entered her room, tidying up and scooting her unused tea table out towards the middle of the room. As she was finishing setting the room for visitors, she heard Ferdinand’s firm but gentle knock. 

“Come in,” she said.

Ferdinand entered, carrying a tea tray laden with tea cakes and fresh fruit. Seeing her surprised glance, he explained, “I had forgotten that Petra gave me some fruit from Brigid this morning. It came from the supplies she managed to secrete to us.”

“I will have to thank her,”  Byleth murmured. “Please, sit.”

Ferdinand laid the tray on the table and began pouring the tea. She recognized the aroma. It wasn’t his favorite tea, but hers. “You remembered I like  Seiros tea!”

He smiled shyly. “I have always kept a small packet of  Seiros with me since you disappeared , in  case we found you again.”

Byleth blinked at the sweet gesture, flushing. 

Ferdinand noticed and hastily added, “I have all my friends’ favorite teas with me.”

“That is incredibly thoughtful of you,” complimented Byleth.

“A true noble is always thoughtful,” he replied seriously.

Byleth choked on her tea, accidentally inhaling while she drank, trying to keep from laughing at his statement. 

“Byleth, are you all right?” he asked, concerned.

“Ha-hot,” she lied. 

“You must be more careful,” he admonished.

“Of course.”

The two of them sipped tea silently, savoring the food.  Byleth broke the silence, sighing contentedly. “I’ve missed this.”

Not wanting to misunderstand her statement, Ferdinand asked, “Whatever do you mean?”

“Since I returned, I haven’t had time to spend with you all, and have robbed myself of your friendship. I don’t even know what any of you did during my absence!” She frowned. “I’m a terrible friend.”

Ferdinand reached his hand across the table and grasped her fingers. “I do not believe that. We all understand. Yes, we would like to see more of you and reacquaint ourselves with you, but we know there is a war happening and you are the best person equipped to lead  us. Goddess knows Dimitri is not fit to do anything right now, and Claude has his hands full keeping peace in the Alliance.”

Byleth looked at their joined hands and felt that strange fluttering again. His hand was large and warm against hers.  Without his gloves to soften his hands, his fingers were calloused from holding the lance. Yet he held her gently. The sensation of his hand on hers pooled heat into her belly.  “W-Well with your help I should be able to schedule my time better,” she stammered. She glanced up into his cinnamon colored eyes and blushed faintly. 

Ferdinand picked up his cup, noticing his tea was growing cold. He drank to prevent himself from saying something foolish, charmed by the way she gazed at him.  Byleth copied him, hiding her face behind the teacup. Ferdinand drained his cup and stood up. “What time would you like to resume organizing your office tomorrow?”

“After breakfast,”  Byleth said firmly. “And this time I will ask the kitchen staff to pack us a lunch so we don’t forget to eat like we did today.” She set her empty cup on the tray so Ferdinand could leave. “Thank you for the tea. It was lovely.”

“I enjoyed our time together as well,” said Ferdinand.

Byleth opened the door and said, “Let’s do this again.”

Ferdinand smiled at her, picking up the tray. “It would be my pleasure.”

“Good night, Ferdinand,” she said.

“Good night, Byleth.” He started to reach out his hand to push back a stray strand of hair that had fallen into her face but stopped himself. He had revealed himself far too much already this night and was not prepared for rejection.

“Ferdinand?”  Byleth asked, confused.

“It is nothing. Good night,  Byleth . I will see you in the morning,” he replied, and left.  Byleth stood in her doorway feeling as if she had missed something important, watching his retreating figure be swallowed by the night.


	4. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth tries to sort out her feelings and Ferdinand is himself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're so dumb, these two. I love them.

Chapter Four: Confessions

Before breakfast,  Byleth went to find Marianne. She might be able to explain the feelings  Byleth experienced last night, and she wouldn’t tease her about them.  Byleth found her leaving Dimitri’s room, carrying a cleaning cloth and disinfectant. She blushed when she saw Byleth. 

“I was making sure his room was clean. We never properly tidied up after the first night and he spends so much time in the cathedral I figured it was safe to...”

Byleth held up a hand and stopped her nervous rambling. “Marianne, I have no objections to you tending to your patient however you see fit. In fact, I believe you and Mercedes are the only ones who could soothe his mind and bring him back to us. I came looking for you because I need your advice. You’re the only one I trust in this matter.”

“Ok,” Marianne said hesitatingly.

Byleth fidgeted. “Can we go somewhere private?”

“Would you like to accompany me to my room?” Marianne invited.  Byleth nodded, relief showing in her face.

As they walked down the stairs to her room, Marianne asked, “Is something the matter?  Ususally you ask  Seteth or  Dedue for advice.” She added as an afterthought, “or  Ferdianand .”

Byleth waited to be let into her room before answering. “Something is wrong with me,” she blurted out. “I keep feeling  heat rise in my face and my stomach flutters uncomfortably. But it’s not all the time, just sometimes. I had to ask you about it because Manuela would tease me if it weren’t serious and  Merecedes might go overboard trying to cure me.”

After a brief pause, Marianne burst into giggles. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she gasped between fits of laughter. “I’m not laughing at you, exactly.” She wiped tears from her eyes and took several deep breaths before explaining. “You’re not sick. You like someone.”

“I like lots of people,”  Byleth replied, confused. 

“No,” Marianne giggled, shaking her head. “You have what we call a ‘crush’ on someone.”

Uncomprehending,  Byleth stared at Marianne. She took  Byleth’s hands and led her over by her bed and sat down, patting the mattress beside her.  Byleth sat down and looked at Marianne, begging her to explain.

“Whenever you’re around a special someone your body reacts in certain ways to tell you you’re attracted to them. I feel the same way about Dimitri.” She looked down, saddened. “That’s why it’s difficult for me to see him this way.”

Byleth hugged her. “He will get better, I know it.”

Marianne smiled sadly. “Anyway, when you like someone romantically you want to touch them and kiss them and hold them. And your body likes it and tells you by making you feel different.”

Byleth frowned. “I’ve never felt this way before.  So I didn’t know.”

“Who makes you feel funny?” Marianne asked. “I promise I won’t tell.”

Byleth thought for a long time before answering. “...Ferdinand? Maybe? It wasn’t until last night when we were having tea together that I noticed something.”

“Do you want him to hold you? To kiss you?”  Byleth imagined his arms around her and his mouth on hers and turned red. “That’s a yes.  So you like Ferdinand. Do you know how he feels about you?” 

“No.”

“The only way you’ll know is if you talk to him about it.”

Byleth rose and thanked Marianne. “You’ve given me much to consider.”

“It was no trouble. And when you do talk to  him I want to hear all about it, okay?”

“Okay.”

*

Ferdinand stumbled unsteadily to the dining hall for breakfast. The normally chipper morning bird had slept terribly. His night was plagued with dreams that had him bolting awake, panting. 

“You look like hell,” Caspar observed, coming up behind him in the breakfast line. 

“I. ..did not sleep well,” Ferdinand replied.

“Bad dreams, huh?”

“You could say that,” he said, clearing his throat awkwardly. In fact, the opposite was true. Ferdinand set down his tray on a relatively empty table and busied himself with his food, trying to distract his mind from what he imagined in his sleep. He groaned inwardly when he realized Caspar had joined him.

“When I have a bad dream I go for a midnight run.”

“I do not believe that would have helped,” Ferdinand replied. He knew that if he had left his  room he would have run to the one place he wanted to be, which was exactly where he shouldn’t have gone last night. 

“Huh. Well I’m stumped.” Caspar noisily shoveled food in his mouth. He stopped only to flag down  Linhardt. “Hey, Linhardt, come sit over here!”

“No one wants to sit next to you when you’re eating,” Linhardt replied sarcastically. “Not if they want to keep their food down, anyway.”

“But Ferdinand needs us!”

“I do not,” Ferdinand stated emphatically, hoping more people wouldn’t join in to hear his troubles.

“He said he does not, Caspar. Let the man eat in  peace, okay?”

“Thank you, Linhardt.” 

The relief must have shown on his face, because Linhardt sat down besides Caspar, staring intently at Ferdinand. “Then again, you look awfully tired.”

“I am fine,” Ferdinand said testily. “And I have to be somewhere in a few minutes.” He stood up and took his partially uneaten food over to the disposal area, sadly gazing at what could have been a delicious breakfast. 

Ferdinand made his way over to  Byleth’s office, surprised to see her already there and cleaning. He knocked on the doorframe to make her aware of his presence. “Ferdinand von Aegir reporting for duty,” he said. 

“Morning, Ferdinand. I got an early start.” She looked up and he couldn’t help but sigh quietly at her large emerald eyes. She had no idea of the power she held over him. Of how he wanted to drown in her gaze.

“I see that. How may I assist you today?” He rolled up the sleeves on his white button-down shirt and  removed his gloves, tucking them into a back pocket. 

She waved at the room helplessly. “Just finish what you were doing yesterday,” she said. 

He bowed comically and replied, “Your wish is my command.” He  lifted a pile of papers  off the desk and carried them over to the settee .

Byleth swallowed hard at the sight of his flexing forearms.  She knew he was strong, as all knights were, but she was unprepared for the firm lean lines his muscles made. In fact, his clothes fit him well, she noticed. Too well.  Byleth threw herself into her work, attempting to distract herself from lustful thoughts.

“Do you have a copy of the knights’ registry somewhere in here?” asked Ferdinand, perusing a document. “It would be helpful to have on hand.”

“Hmm,” she said. “I think it’s over...” her hand trailed along the shelves until she reached the top section, “...here.” The book was slightly out of reach, but if she stood on her  tip-toes she could reach it.

“Allow me,” Ferdinand said, coming behind her.  Byleth was glad she was staring at spines of books instead of him as she felt the warmth of his chest press against her back. She didn’t know what expression she had on her face, but she was sure it was embarrassing. His arms stretched out next to hers as he tried to help.

“It’s all right,”  Byleth said, fingertips on the edge of the book. “I have it.” As she pulled the book triumphantly from the shelf, she lost her balance, falling into Ferdinand who caught her. She looked up at him, clutching the book in her hands. 

“You must be more care... ful ...” Ferdinand said slowly, his face inches from hers. Unbidden, his dreams from the night before sprang to his mind and he started to move closer to her mouth.  Byleth noticed he had a faint sprinkling of freckles across his nose, something that you could only see if you were close to his face. Very close, in fact. Simultaneously, their faces turned red and they sprang apart.

“Oh, yes!”  Byleth said, loudly. “I shall be more careful in the future.” They refused to look at each other for a few minutes. If  Byleth had a heartbeat, she knew hers would be leaping from her chest. When she felt calmer, she said, “Thank you for catching me.”

“It was my *ahem* that is, a noble should always assist those in need.”

“It’s stuffy in here, isn’t it?”  Byleth asked, pulling on her collar. 

“Indeed. Did you requisition lunch for us?”

“Yes. Would you like to eat outside? Over by the Officer’s Academy lawn?”

Ferdinand immediately agreed. The more people to unwittingly chaperone them the better. He tried not to imagine what would happen if they ate somewhere more secluded. 

*

Settling onto the blanket  Byleth laid out for their impromptu picnic, Ferdinand opened the basket. He divided the portions evenly, handing  Byleth hers on a napkin. She bit into the sandwich with relish. Even though she had only been doing deskwork, she was ravenous. Ferdinand ate his food efficiently, she noticed. Soon everything was devoured. “I should have asked for more food,” she said ruefully, gazing at the empty basket. 

“Tomorrow we will.” Ferdinand regretted again the earlier disposal of breakfast. The sandwich was not enough for his needs. 

“Hey Professor,” came a familiar drawl. Ferdinand stiffened. If there was one  person he viewed an immediate threat, it was Sylvain. No one could resist his charms. The other tall redhead of  Garreg Mach came strolling down the lawn. 

“Sylvain,” Ferdinand said curtly, hoping he would get the hint to buzz off. 

“Ferdinand,” Sylvain said dismissively, zeroing in on  Byleth’s face. “I heard you had  paperwork you needed doing and I happen to be quite handy,” he said, definitely insinuating an innuendo. 

“Thank you, Sylvain, for the offer, but Ferdinand is already assisting me,”  Byleth replied. “If I need additional help I will let you know.”

“That’s too bad,” Sylvain replied, stretching his hands behind his head, broadening his chest. “I was hoping we’d get to spend some time together.” He winked. Ferdinand bristled.

“She will have spare time once we sort out her schedule, which is over full due to the amount of responsibilities the church has decided to foist upon her. But I do not believe she will have time for you in the way you are thinking,” Ferdinand blurted out. 

“Oh?” Sylvain replied, raising an eyebrow. “And what would you know about that?”

Byleth didn’t understand what exactly was happening between the two men, but she did know enough to see they were posturing for some reason. “I promise to spend time with all my friends once my schedule is determined,” she said, trying to diffuse the situation. “I am sorry it is not ideal now.”

“Don’t worry about it, Byleth,” Sylvain said. “I’m happy with whatever you give me.” He grinned widely, baiting Ferdinand. 

Ferdinand stood up aggressively. Before he could say  something he would regret later,  Byleth grabbed at his hand. It threw him off enough that he forgot what he was going to say, instead staring at Byleth. She released his hand and stood up, dusting herself off. 

“We better return to the office,” she sighed. “That paperwork isn’t going to finish itself.” She turned to Sylvain. “Duty calls,” she apologized. 

“Later,” he replied, sauntering off with a smirk. 

“I really dislike that man,” muttered Ferdinand. 

“He doesn’t mean it you know,” Byleth told him.

“I do not understand.”

“When he flirts. He doesn’t mean it.”

“I do not believe you. He looked as if he meant it.”

“It’s an act. He’s really just a scared little boy.”  Byleth headed to her office and Ferdinand followed with the blanket and basket in hand. 

“How do you know? That he does not mean what he says?”

“Because if he really meant it, he would have done something about it by now instead of teasing still.”  Byleth pursed her lips in concentration. “I think he likes Dorothea.”

“You think so?”

“Mm-hmm,” she affirmed. “He talks differently to her. And she knows how to treat him.”

“Does she like him?”

“I don’t know. She’s harder to read.”  Byleth glanced at Ferdinand from the corner of her eye. “Sometimes I think she likes you.”

Flustered, he stammered, “That will not do.”

“Do you not like women?”

Ferdinand knew  Byleth was trying to tell him something but couldn’t figure it out. “I can affirm I am interested in women, despite rumors to the contrary.”

Byleth stopped in her office doorway and turned around, looking him square in the eyes. “How about me?”

“Pardon?”

“Do I count as a woman?”

He inhaled sharply and couldn’t prevent the words from tumbling from his mouth. “Goddess yes. You are very much a woman.”

“Good,” she replied. “I’m glad.” She gave him one of her rare smiles and he melted. 

Something was settled in the conversation, but Ferdinand wasn’t sure what exactly. All he knew was that  Byleth was happy and he was too. 

“Are you coming in?”  Byleth asked. 

“Oh! Yes.”


	5. Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midnight cuddles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Byleth is a tease. Sorry not sorry.

Chapter Five: Kiss

That night Byleth tossed and turned, thinking about Ferdinand’s words. While neither of them had confessed their feelings exactly, words had been said. He thought of her as a woman, not merely a friend or a mentor. That had to count for something. When she remembered his face next to hers she groaned with longing. Why hadn’t he kissed her? He was so close! She knew he was about to kiss her. That wasn’t a mistake, right? 

“This is stupid,” she muttered, kicking off her sheets and putting on training clothes. “If I can’t sleep, I’m going to work myself to sleep.” 

She never made it to the training yard, instead running into Ferdinand who was leaving the sauna. His wet hair was tied back into a loose ponytail, almost like the style Mercedes had back when she was a student. He was dressed for bed in loose fitting trousers and a thermal shirt. 

“Byleth? What are you doing out at this hour?” 

“I couldn’t sleep,” she grumbled. She glared at him like it was his fault. 

“Would you like me to keep you company until you are tired?” He fidgeted, waiting for her answer. 

“I would like that,” she said slowly. “If it’s not a bother.” 

“Not at all,” he replied, smiling. Ferdinand offered her his arm and escorted her back to her room. 

“Wait here,” she asked, shutting the door. When she opened it again she was back in her sleeping clothes. It surprised him to see she had black pants with bright pink bunnies on them and a tank top with glittery words that spelled out ‘Sleep Makes Me Hoppy’. She noticed his puzzled stare and explained, “Hilda gave them to me.” 

“Ah.” 

“It’s dumb, isn’t it?” 

Ferdinand blushed. “I think you look rather cute.” 

“Oh.” 

Byleth let him in, shutting the door. 

“How may I help you relax?” Ferdinand asked. He sat down in a chair, wishing she wasn’t sitting across the room from him on the edge of her bed. 

“Could you tell me some stories about what I missed when I was gone?” 

Ferdinand obliged, telling her only the funny things, omitting the sadness. He didn’t know if the war was what kept her awake, but he didn’t want to add to her sleeplessness. 

Byleth interrupted him mid-story. “Sorry to ask, and you can say no, but would you sit by me?” Even she was surprised by her boldness. But she wanted him to hold her and feel the rumble in his chest when he spoke. Her father used to do that when she couldn’t sleep. 

“Are you certain?” 

“Please?” 

Even if he wanted to, Ferdinand couldn’t say no to those green eyes. He sat by her and stiffened when she put her head on his shoulder. She pulled away, apologizing. “It took me by surprise, that is all. You may rest your head on me if that will help.” Agonizing moments ticked by before she placed her head on him again. Sweat beaded on his upper lip and he nervously asked, “May I put my arm around you to steady you?” 

“Mm-hmm,” she said, snuggling closer. 

Ferdinand forgot all about the story he was telling, it was an effort just to breathe. Instead, he focused on stroking her hair, hoping that would lull her to sleep. 

“Ferdinand?” Byleth asked. 

“Yes?” 

“Don’t leave when I fall asleep, okay?” 

“All-all right,” he promised shakily. Byleth was going to kill him at this rate. 

“Ferdinand?” 

“Hmm?” 

“I like you,” she mumbled. 

“Byleth?” 

“Hmm?” 

“I like you too.” 

* 

Ferdinand found himself wrapped around Byleth’s warm body when he woke up. A puddle of drool pooled by her mouth. He didn’t remember falling asleep. He definitely didn’t remember lying down next to her, cuddling. He rather liked this. Byleth stirred, sleepy nonsense muttering out of her mouth. She rolled over, facing him. He stroked back her hair, enjoying the sensation of his fingers sliding across her face. She was rapturously beautiful, drool and all. 

Her eyes blinked open. “Good morning,” she said thickly. 

“Good morning,” he replied warmly. “We need to talk.” 

“After breakfast,” she complained, stretching. “Not awake.” 

He agreed, releasing his hold on her reluctantly and sat up. He sighed in dismay at the tangles that formed in his hair. “May I borrow a comb?” he asked. “If I do not tend to these knots, my hair will become unmanageable.” 

Byleth stood up and picked up a comb off her dresser. Instead of handing it to him, she sat beside him, teasing the tangles out herself. 

“I can do that,” he protested. 

“It’s the least I can do after I made you spend the night.” Her fingers deftly picked apart the knots, intimately stroking his hair free. 

Ferdinand leaned into her, enjoying the care. “Thank you,” he said. 

A few minutes later his hair shone sleek and full, as if it were never splayed in all directions. He stood up, offering Byleth a hand. She took it, standing. “You better leave,” she said. When he looked at her, hurt, she clarified, “You need to get dressed so we can eat breakfast.” 

Ferdinand looked down at his own sleepwear and laughed. “It certainly would scandalize everyone if I appeared in my pajamas.” 

“Seteth would die on the spot if I came to breakfast in this,” Byleth said, gesturing to her whole self. 

He laughed harder. “Miss Eisner, it is most inappropriate for the interim archbishop to be seen in her, her, intimate clothes!” Ferdinand said, imitating Seteth’s stuffiness. 

She snorted. “I didn’t know you could do impressions.” 

“Sometimes I surprise even myself.” They smiled at each other. Byleth shooed him out the door and changed. 

They met in the dining hall, each with a hot mug of tea and a hearty breakfast. Since it was still early, few people were around to bother them. “About last night,” Ferdinand began. 

“Yes?” 

“Did I image it, or did you confess your attraction to me?” 

“I did.” 

“Good. Otherwise, us cuddling in your bed is going to prove uncomfortable.” 

“I liked that too,” she said as he took a sip of his tea. He turned his head and spewed the liquid all over the floor. 

“You really should not say such dangerous things when a man is eating,” he scolded. She shrugged, refusing to apologize. 

“You said you liked me too,” she stated. 

“Yes.” Ferdinand blushed. 

“How long?” 

“How long what?” 

“How long have you been attracted to me?” 

“That is an unfair question. The answer is incriminating.” 

“A long time, then.” 

Ferdinand refused to meet her eyes because he would tell her otherwise. 

“Are we courting now?” 

He cleared his throat, flushing. “One does not usually share a bed with someone they are not romantically attached to.” 

“Is that a yes?” 

“Yes.” 

“Good.” She stared at him, trying to provoke another reaction. She liked surprising him. His ideals of nobility were too restricting at times and he needed to be shaken out of his stuffiness. “When are you going to kiss me?” 

Ferdinand jumped, sloshing his tea on the table. “You cannot ask that!” 

“Why not?” 

“Because,” he sputtered. “Because I am doing the wooing here!” 

“Woo faster,” she commanded, beet red. 

“Hey! You two match in color!” said Leonie, walking by. She snickered. 

“Can we go somewhere more private?” Ferdinand begged. 

“Only if you’re going to kiss me,” she teased. 

“B-Byleth!” 

She grinned and walked away, putting her dishes up and leaving the dining hall. Ferdinand hastily followed, catching her hand at the last second. They stood in the gardens, staring at each other. Slowly Ferdinand brought her hand to his lips, satisfied by Byleth’s small squeal. 

“There,” he said. “I have kissed you. Now you are mine.” 


	6. Slow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth is jealous but Ferdinand is sweet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for staying! It ended up shorter than I expected, but the end of the chapter was too perfect to continue.

Chapter Six: Slow

After the reinforcements arrived from A il el l , more people moved to the monastery for safety, including those orphaned by the war. It saddened  Byleth to see children with blank faces. It reminded her of her own lost childhood. She tried to spend some time with the children, to cheer them up, but  Seteth would not allow it. “As much as I admire your compassion, we cannot help the children if this war continues, therefore your time would be better spent ending this conflict.”

Byleth gritted her teeth. “ Seteth , though you are correct, I am determined to bring these children some temporary happiness. If you try to stop me, I will do something reckless.”

A heated debate ensued but the two eventually reached a compromise. Dorothea, Alois, Ignatz, and Ashe would be given charge of the orphans and Byleth would be allowed to pop in from time to time with treats. On one of these visits Ferdinand accompanied her, bringing along stuffed toys he and  Bernadetta had made.  Byleth’s surprise that day was candied fruit she had Petra smuggle in from Brigid. 

The children cheered at the sweets and delighted in the toys.  Byleth wasn’t sure who was happier, the children or the adults. Seeing Ferdinand surrounded by happy children made  Byleth’s heart swell. She imagined what kind of father he would be and entertained the prospect of having a family with him. He met her eyes and she saw a burst of longing there. It seemed she was not the only one thinking of parenthood. Shy, and a little scared, she looked down. Their relationship was newly formed. In fact, only Marianne knew for sure that the two of them were an item. To be thinking of marriage and children already was absurd!

When she looked up again, Ferdinand was no longer in the throng of orphans. She saw him talking off the side to Dorothea, who was, to  Byleth’s jealousy, being overly familiar. It took all her restraint not to assault the songstress when Dorothea put a hand on Ferdinand’s chest, laughing at some joke he had made. She was clearly flirting with the redhead.  Byleth walked over to the two and complimented Dorothea on her dress. She knew talking fashion would distract her from running her hands all over Ferdinand. 

“Thank you,” Dorothea replied, fluffing her skirt. “I had it made by the Mittlefrank Opera’s seamstress. Honestly, if you want a good tailor, theaters and operas have the most talented people.”

“I will remember that,”  Byleth said.  She turned to Ferdinand and asked, “Would I look nice in something like that?”

His ears turned red and he stammered, “I think a different style would suit you better.”

“ Ferdie !” reprimanded Dorothea. “You can’t say that to a woman!” She moved to  Byleth’s side and put her hands on each shoulder, saying, “ Byleth can wear whatever she likes.”

He sputtered, “I did not say she could not wear it, merely that I think a different design would look nicer.”

“Like what,  Ferdie ?” Dorothea asked, teasing  Byleth’s hair so it framed her face alluringly. 

Ferdinand averted his eyes, skin beet red, and said, voice cracking, “Something lacy, perhaps? And black?”

“Ferdinand von Aegir, get your mind out of the gutter,” Dorothea teased.

“I didn’t, I wasn’t,” he protested. 

“Stop teasing him, Dorothea. You’re being mean.”

“All right, if you say so. Sorry  Ferdie ,” she smirked. A shrieking child ran by, being chased by what appeared to be a Venus fly trap plushie that someone had decided to magically animate. “I better take care of that.” Dorothea’s voice rose as she chased the instigator, saying, “How many times do I have to tell you not to animate the toys! If you’re really going to do magic, do it properly!”

“ Bernadetta made that one, didn’t she?”  Byleth asked offhandedly.

“Indeed.”

“Let’s try to redirect her creative outlet to a less threatening plush next time.”

“I agree.” Ferdinand lowered his voice and said, “To be clear, I was envisioning you in a black dress with lace sleeves, cut like Hilda’s but without the poofiness.”

“Would it be so bad if you were thinking of the other lacy black dress?”

Ferdinand made a strangled noise. “I am now.”

Byleth smiled at him, laughing. “Sorry.” She squeezed his hand comfortingly. “I have to leave now. I promised  Seteth that I would oversee the cleaning of the cathedral after I delivered the sweets.”

“Would you like me to come with you?”

Byleth shook her head. “You can stay here, if you’d rather.” She bit her lip, not wanting to say what was bothering her.

Ferdinand saw and asked, “Is something the matter?”

“I just...didn’t like the way Dorothea flirted with you. That’s all.”

His face softened at her admission and he lifted her hand to his lips. “You are the only woman for me. That I swear.”

She blushed and looked down. “Thank you,” she whispered. His calm assurance soothed her jealousy.  Byleth turned his hand over and returned the kiss, bidding him good bye. 

*

When she saw Ferdinand next, he was carrying a sobbing child in his arms. He looked panicked. “What’s wrong?”  Byleth said, rushing over to him. 

“Can’t find Dolly,” the toddler sobbed. 

“Her mother made it for her,” explained Ferdinand. “I have searched everywhere but I cannot find it.”

Byleth stroked the toddler’s hair and promised, “We’ll find Dolly. What does Dolly look like?”

“Blue,” the child sniffled, rubbing her face in Ferdinand’s shoulder. Ferdinand shrugged helplessly. 

“Is Dolly a blue shaped person? Or a blue shaped animal?”

“Shaped like kitty.”

“A blue kitty,” confirmed  Byleth . The child nodded. “I have a friend named Cyril who has very good eyes and he can help us find Dolly, okay?”  Byleth looked at Ferdinand and said, “Go ahead and take this little one to the dining hall and find her a snack. I will see if Cyril and I can find Dolly.”

“Thank you,” he said, carrying the child indoors. 

Byleth went to the library where  Lysithea was, knowing she and Cyril were friends and might have an idea of his whereabouts. She did not expect to see  Lysithea and Cyril together gazing sappily into each other’s faces. “That’s one mystery solved,” she thought. The two guiltily sprang apart when they saw  Byleth .  Lysithea stared daggers at her, daring her to say a word.

“Sorry to bother you, Cyril, but I was hoping you could help me find something.”

“Of course,” he said.  Lysithea elbowed him. “Ow! I mean, sorry, I’m busy.”

“There’s a little girl looking for a blue kitty named Dolly. You know the monastery better than almost anyone so I was hoping you might have seen something like that,”  Byleth explained. 

“Oh!”  Lysithea said, sheepishly. “I’ll help too.”

Cyril thought for a moment before replying. “I might’ve seen something like that in the greenhouse yesterday.”

“I’ll look there first. In the meantime, if you two could keep an eye out, it would be helpful.”

Byleth made her way down to the greenhouse and sure enough, there was a little blue kitty nestled in between the violets. She picked up the toy, stuffing it in her belt, and went to the dining hall. “Is this yours?” she asked, upon seeing Ferdinand and the child.

“Dolly!” 

“Next time, make sure Dolly takes a nap in her bed instead of the greenhouse, okay?”

“Okay.” 

Ferdinand and  Byleth delivered the toddler to Dorothea, who exclaimed, “So that’s where you went off to! We have been worried sick about you!”

“Couldn’t find Dolly,” she said, her lower lip trembling. 

Trying to stave off an influx of tears, Ferdinand said cheerfully, “But we have Dolly now, safe and sound!”

“Say thank you,” Dorothea instructed. 

“ T’ank you,” the babe replied, sucking on a finger. 

“Run along now. And next time you tell me or Uncle Alois instead of wandering off on your own,” Dorothea said. She turned to the two and mouthed “Thank you,” shutting the door behind her. 

Ferdinand shivered. 

“Are you cold?” asked Byleth.

“She drenched my shirt in her tears,” he explained.  Byleth looked and his shoulder was sopping wet. 

“Let’s put you in something warm,” she said, taking his hand and leading him to the dormitory. 

“I know where my room is, Byleth,” he said. 

“But will you remember to change your shirt?”

Ferdinand opened his door and  Byleth made him sit down. “Take off that wet shirt,” she said, rummaging in his dresser. “I’ll get you a dry one.” 

She pulled a  navy blue shirt from his drawer and turned around. Ferdinand was undoing the last of his buttons, h is shirt  open and hanging off him . She squeaked at the sight of his bare chest. She, who hardened mercenaries had dubbed “The Ashen Demon”, was undone by a mere glance of Ferdinand’s torso. He looked up, his hair sliding over his shoulder. 

“ Byleth ?” he asked.

Wordlessly, she offered him his shirt and turned around, furiously blushing. She heard him stand up and come behind her.  Byleth peeked over her shoulder and saw him holding the dry shirt in one hand, waiting for her to turn around. 

“Would you please put that on?” she whimpered. 

“Look at me,” Ferdinand cajoled. 

Slowly she turned around and locked eyes with him. He came close, putting his forearm on the wall and leaned in. “Are you certain you want me to remove only my shirt?” he asked quietly. 

Byleth squealed, covering her face. “You can’t say that!”

Ferdinand stood up straight, laughing. “Consider this repayment for your lacy black dress comment.”

Byleth gently smacked him on the chest. “That was mean!”

Ferdinand took her hand and held it there, letting  Byleth feel his heartbeat. “You are not the only one affected in this room,” he said. 

“I guess  not,” she replied breathily. 

Ferdinand leaned his face close to hers and asked, “May I kiss you?”

“I don’t think,”  Byleth stammered, “That is, if you kiss me as you are now...”

He drew the shirt on over his arms and began buttoning it. “Better?”

“Yes.”  Byleth could breathe again. 

He looked at her and asked again, “May I kiss you?”

She nodded and he leaned in, brushing his lips on her cheek. “Ferdinand?” she asked, confused. 

“I cannot kiss your mouth tonight,” he explained. “Neither of us are prepared for what comes after.”

Byleth stood on her toes and returned the kiss, touching her lips to his nose. “Slow is fine. But not too slow, okay?”

He smiled, stroked her hair, and held her close. 


End file.
